Old Friends
by Fabala23
Summary: When Maureen gets sick and Mark takes care of her, the former lovers reach a new level of friendship and understanding, and the group contemplates what the phrase old friend truly means. T for homosexuality and mild swearing.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own RENT or the characters or music…I own nuttin.The title of this fic is from Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along.

Won't be worked on frequently as I am one busy person…hope you enjoy my first RENTfic!

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"January 9th, 1997, 8:23 P.M., Eastern Standard Time. Welcome to a fun-filled night at the loft. With Mimi on a mini-tour with Roger's band, due to end Sunday night, and Collins teaching at NYU, coming to visit for a mini-vacation Friday night, Maureen, Joanne, and Mark are left to entertain themselves on a Thursday night. Who knows what madness may ensue?"

"C'mon Mark, turn it off and come look with us!"

The cameraman smiled and zoomed in on the lawyer's face. "And Joanne, would you like to tell our viewers how absolutely thrilled you must be about your girlfriend's lead role in the upcoming Off-Broadway musical 'Two in the Bush'?"

A look of anger came over Joanne's face. Mark realized a little too late that that might not be the best subject to talk about right now.

"Oh, yes. I am absolutely THRILLED on how she seems to enjoy her role, screwing EVERY man in the show, and comes home at two in the morning from rehearsals, then leaves at eight the next morning to go back, never thanking me for the subway money or the food or her half of the apartment rent!" Joanne spat at sarcastically.

_Nice going, Mark. Way to ruin a relaxing evening._

A few days ago, Joanne had casually mentioned that she had lived in Scarsdale for two years as a teenager. In fact, she had coincidentally lived only two blocks away from Mark. As Mark had been an experimenting cameraman even at the young age of 13, Maureen's idea was to have a "looking-through-Mark's-photos-and-ruin-whatever-organization-might-have-ever-belonged-to-them-in-attempt-to-find-pictures-that-probably-don't-exist" party. Which was what had occupied the bohemians for the past- Mark glanced at his watch- two hours.

Strangely enough, Maureen seemed to not notice Joanne's outburst. Even more strangely enough, she simply picked up the photo she was looking at and said, "Hey Joanne, what about this one?" in a tired voice.

Mark examined the actress a little more closely. She hadn't been herself all night, and, come to think of it, she looked really pale. There were dark circles under her eyes and she hadn't been talking much at all.

Joanne, still enraged, grabbed the photograph from her lover's hand. "What about it?" she snapped sarcastically.

Maureen focused her eyes on her and said, "Well, there are a lot of kids in it. Thought you might recognize one." With a few coughs, Maureen went back into the cardboard box labeled "JULY 1983."

Mark was about to ask Maureen if she was feeling alright when Joanne's eyes widened and she cried out, "Mark! Come here!"

Mark made his way around Joanne and peered over her shoulder at the photo of a whiffleball game in the middle of his childhood street. He vaguely remembered taking that photo…and how Clarence Robins had chucked the bat at his stomach only a few seconds later for "blinding him with the flash."

Joanne pointed to a red-haired girl in a pink tank top on second base. "I know her! That's Rachel Duvall- she sat next to me all through Honors Algebra I in 8th grade!" A new thought seemed to pass over Joanne's face. "Mark…we didn't even think of looking at yearbooks! We probably went to 8th grade together- Scarsdale Junior High, right?" Mark nodded absentmindedly, his mind partially taken up with the wonder that they actually found a connection to his and Joanne's pasts, and partially worrying about Maureen, who was massaging her temples with one hand and looking very unfocused.

"Of course, we wouldn't have gone to high school together since my parents sent me off to Miss Porter's School the year afterwards, but…"

Mark hated to interrupt Joanne's blast back to the past, but he had to ask, "Maureen, are you alright?"

Maureen looked up suddenly, but before she could answer, Joanne chimed in with, "Of course she's alright. She's having the time of her LIFE at rehearsal every DAY!" Her anger was clearly not past yet.

But Maureen dropped the photos she'd been flipping through and said, "Actually, I'm pretty tired. I think I'll head on home." Mark watched her, thinking that, overall, she did not look well. Joanne sighed from the floor and said, "Well, I guess I'LL have to go too, then, since you don't even bother to carry your own apartment key around with you and HAVE to get in somehow."

Maureen didn't respond, but rather put on her jacket and said, "Thanks, Mark. See ya 'round," and walked out. Joanne followed with, "Yeah, I'll try and dig up my old middle school yearbooks and we'll see what we can find! Thanks a bunch, Mark! Bye!" She closed the door behind her as she left.

Mark glanced around the loft. Remains of a pizza dinner and boxes of photos mingled with piles of discarded photos on the floor. He sighed and began cleaning. He glanced at the clock as he stacked the last box in the closet.

Only 8:30? Mark glanced out the window. Holy shit, he hadn't noticed how hard it was pouring outside. He hoped the couple got home alright- it was only five blocks, but still no walk in the park. Well, it was no condition to go bike riding with his camera, that's for sure.

Mark glanced at the meager video collection he, Roger, Mimi, and Collins had been able to get together after pooling in for a VCR in October. _Apollo 13_? Yep, one of his first dates with Maureen…well, that didn't matter. It was still a classic. He popped the video into the VCR and clicked PLAY.

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Don't worry folks, it'll pick up eventually! Just…review! Review! You know you like clicking the review button and leaving comments…please?


	2. Chapter 2

To his surprise, Mark was enjoying the movie. He had been worshipping Maureen at the time he'd last seen it and had had nothing on his mind besides the fact that this incredibly sexy, talented lady was sitting beside him in a movie theatre. So it was really like watching it for the first time.

Brring. "SPEAK!"

Mark sighed. Of course. It would be just like his mother to call when he was enjoying a nice night alone…

"M-mark? It's…Maureen."

Mark sat up, suddenly alert. Maureen sounded like she was crying and scared.

"Look- Jo-joanne threw me out of the apartment and I…it's so cold and raining and I don't…"

Mark snatched up the phone. "Maureen? Are you alright?"

"Oh, Mark…" Maureen started sobbing into the phone receiver.

"Maureen, baby, where are you? I'm going to come get you."

Maureen gasped for a few breathes and managed to say, "The Life C-café. Mark, it's cold…"

"Don't worry, Maureen. I'll be right there." Mark threw down the phone receiver, wrapped his scarf around his neck, grabbed his coat and wallet, and ran out the door. For a second he considered taking his bike, but he knew getting the bike down the stairs would cost more time than he had.

Mark ran down the stairs and out the door into the street. The rain was coming down even harder than before. Within a few seconds, he was soaked. But as he ran down the familiar path to the Café, all he could think about was Maureen. A small thought entered his head. "Do you still love her?"

For a second Mark's head went numb. Then he answered himself.

"No. I'm worried because I'm her friend. I'm her friend."

He remembered how he had gone to help her with her sound equipment that Christmas Day. Collins had teased him, saying he still had feelings for her. And for a long time, Mark had been so afraid that maybe he did.

No. Not lovers, just…friends.

_And I'm alright with that?_

Despite his situation, a small smile came to Mark's lips as he whispered, "Yes."

As he rounded the final corner, Mark's eye caught sight of a small figure in a bright white coat by a payphone in the shadows of the brightly-lit Café. He yelled, "Maureen!" and sprinted toward her. The figure looked up at him.

Maureen's hair was soaking wet and she was shivering madly- her clothes were completely soaked through.

Mark reached her and grasped her hand. "Maureen, you're freezing! Why aren't you inside?"

Through chattering teeth, Maureen managed to say, " C-couldn't pay…not let in."

The fury Mark had for the staff of the Life Café was quickly obliviated by the need to get Maureen warm. "C'mon, honey." Honey? Where did _that _come from? He had never called her that before. "Let's get you inside where you'll be warm."

Mark put his arm around Maureen's shoulder and steered her to the Café. As soon as he pulled open the door, he saw the waiter walking toward them rapidly. He had held a grudge against Mark, Maureen, and many others since that Christmas, just over a year ago. Today, however, Mark pulled out a five and used it to wave away the words he knew were about to come out of the waiter's mouth.

"We can pay," he almost growled at the young man before quickly ushering Maureen to a table in the back.

"Mark…I can't…"

"Don't worry about anything, Maureen. You're going to be fine." Mark's brain raced with thoughts of what to do next. "Here, go to the bathroom and try and dry off a bit, alright? I'll order something for you for when you get back." With a nod, Maureen headed for the bathroom. Mark ordered two teas, a bowl of pasta for himself, and an omelette for Maureen. One thing he could never figure out about her- she loved eggs in any shape or form. How many times had he gotten up early on the weekend to cook her something special? No matter how much he burned it or how disgusting the extra ingredients, Maureen loved every bite.

Maureen came back just as a new, young waiter brought them their food. Mark placed his coat around her- she was obviously still not warm- and waited until the waiter had left to ask, "Maureen, what did Joanne do?"

Maureen drew a shaky breath and said, "We walked home in the rain- we got soaked, it was freezing out. The whole way home she was lecturing me about how little time I spend on her and how I take my job more seriously than I should and I take her for granted…I didn't listen to her, really. I just wanted to get home." Maureen paused and said softly, "I'm really not feeling well, Mark. I've felt terrible all day but I can't miss rehearsal so I didn't mention it to Joanne, thinking it would pass, but…"

Mark nodded. "I understand, Maureen." He felt a bit unsure of what to say next. Luckily, Maureen picked up right where she left off.

"So we get into the apartment and apparently I neglected to clean up the living room so she blew up at me, being so…_anal retentive_…" Maureen stopped to turn and cough to the side for a few seconds. Mark rubbed her back and said, "Here- drink some tea- it'll help." Maureen picked up the tea and sipped it for a few seconds before continuing. "She snapped when she found a message from her parents on the machine, asking why she hadn't called back after they had called on Sunday, leaving a message with me. I was on my way to rehearsal and hadn't had time to write down the message!" Maureen stopped again, this time with tears in her eyes. "And she…threw me out."

Mark knew what he had to say, and he knew Maureen knew, too. "You can stay at the loft for as long as you need to, alright?" He put his arm around Maureen and drew her close to him. "Everything will work out between you and Joanne...it always does." Mark picked up the ketchup bottle and drew a smiley face on the omelette in front of Maureen. "C'mon, eat. Drink. Be Maureen."

With a few giggles, Maureen picked up her fork and began to eat with her friend.

Thanks for the positive reviews, everyone! I'm leaving for vacation in the next few days so I won't be updating for a long time...au revoir!


	3. Chapter 3

WOW! Been SO busy...definitely not going to update a lot. Thanks for the reviews everyone! Keep on reviewing!

Mark and Maureen spent the better part of an hour just sitting and talking at the Life Café. Mark was having a good time, relishing in the relief of being able to sit and talk with his ex-girlfriend as friends without feeling awkward.

But he was also concerned. Maureen started coughing more frequently, and her shivering had not stopped. Her eyelids started drooping mid-conversation.

"Hey Maureen?" Mark asked. "Maybe we should start heading back now." Maureen merely nodded and stood up to go. Mike threw money down on the table and followed her out.

He was glad to see that the rain had let up a little bit, but knew it was still going to be a wet walk back to the loft. Maureen nudged his arm and held his coat up.

"Mark, take your coat back…" she was broken off by two sneezes to the side.

Mark was already shaking his head. "Maureen, no. Keep it on. You need it a lot more than I do right now." He adjusted it around her shoulders again and put his arm around with it. "C'mon...let's try and beat the rain."

They ran on the late-night New York sidewalk, trying to take as much cover from the rain as possible, which wasn't much. As they reached the street sign reading "Avenue A," Mark heard, "Mark?" from his side.

His head turned to find Maureen with her eyes shut and her hand clutching her forehead. "I'm dizzy...can we just..."

Mark guided her over softly to the wall of a building and had her lean up against it, then put the hood of his jacket over her head so she would stay as dry as possible. He waited a minute before cautiously inquiring, "Maureen? Are you alright?" He pulled her hand away from her face, trying to get her to look at him. His fingers grazed her skin and he gasped. Mark placed his hand on Maureen's forehead and exclaimed, "Maureen! You have a fever...oh, you're really not well, are you?"

Maureen slowly lifted her head up and opened her eyes. "Mark, please...I feel like crap, but I can always find someplace else to stay if-"

"No! Maureen, I'm your friend, and I hate seeing you like this." Mark pulled her into a hug and said, "Let's get you back to the loft and dried off. Then you're staying there till you're better." Maureen pulled away, her face full of concern now.

"But Mark," she broke off into a fit of coughs before continuing. "What about Collins? I can't expose him to this!"

"Maureen, don't worry about it," Mark tried to assure her. "Mimi left us a key to her apartment if we needed it. I'll call Collins, explain, and I'm sure he'll be fine staying there, along with Roger and Mimi when they get back, okay?"

Maureen, not totally comfortable with putting her friends out like that, reluctantly nodded and continued down the avenue to the building they both knew so well.

Mark managed to support Maureen up the stairs to the loft, despite her coughing fits and occasional sneezes. He was concerned. She looked so pale...

Mark was finally able to slide open the door to the loft. He led Maureen in and sat her on the couch. "I'm going to get you some clothes, and then you are going to take a nice, warm shower and go to bed."

Maureen giggled. "M-ark...I'm not five you know."

Mark smiled. "No, but you are going to come down with pneumonia if you don't listen to me right now, and I'll have to take care of you. Understand? Scoot!" Maureen didn't move. "Maureen?"

The smile was gone from Maureen's face. "Maybe...I don't need a shower. I'll be fine, promise." But there was something more than defiance in her face. Something was wrong, and Mark knew it. Maureen avoided his eyes, and coughed a few times before Mark said, "Maureen?" He made his way over to the other side of the couch and put a hand on Maureen's shoulder. "Please, what's wrong? Tell me."

Maureen looked at him with tear-filled eyes and said, "Mark, I got there first."

And in an instant, Mark understood.


End file.
